An opportunity is brewing in Sydney’s Inner West

Marrickville Metro shopping centre is on the hunt for a microbrewery to anchor its newly reconceptualised dining precinct in the vibrant and growing Inner West.

This new dining precinct (named Smidmore St) is part of the Marrickville Metro’s recently commenced redevelopment and expansion that comes as an answer to the Inner West’s burst in population growth.

With the work anticipated to be completed by late October 2020, it’s a great opportunity for an up-and-coming or established brewery to grab an iconic piece of Marrickville’s premier shopping destination.

The new development has been designed by Hames Sharley, a leading design practice with a focus on creating both socially and environmentally friendly solutions.

The space will be beautiful and sustainable and will truly reflect the diversity of Sydney’s Inner West and those who call this area home.

“For unique drinking and eating experiences, there’s no place better than the Inner West. We’re looking for a craft microbrewery that will celebrate the culture of Sydney’s Inner West, as well as the Smidmore St’s vibrant and modern approach to fresh food and drink,” says Stuart Norman, Project Leasing Manager.

The successful brewer will have an open plan 603-square metre space to work with plenty of natural light and external exposure to the street-fronts surrounding.

The space can be utilised as one large space, or broken up into smaller, more flexible areas to better suit the operator.

“An offering like this will allow the microbrewery to showcase its brand and hospitality capabilities, it will become the anchor to our new dining street” Stuart says.

“We want to get the best fit, so we’re looking to speak with interested operators to understand what their brand’s approach might be and how we can partner to deliver something special for the community”.

Concepts could include a full microbrewery production with or without food offerings (including as a collaboration), a smaller microbrewery with a smaller component of brewing to celebrate the “theatre” of it but with the main focus being on the food and drinks, a “tap room” for breweries that may already have brewing facilities elsewhere but want a high- traffic venue to celebrate their brand (with or without food) and even “gypsy brewers” that may not have their own operations currently.

Marrickville Metro are open to any and all ideas. Stuart says the decision to add a microbrewery to the Metro’s dining precinct was an easy one.

“The Inner West has always been a community that celebrates the individual, and craft beer is no exception,” he says.

“Microbreweries offer unique taste experiences and the ability for the consumer to learn who/what is behind the brand itself. There’s no doubt it’s a growing and evolving market that is gaining prominence in the food and beverage arena”

The new microbrewery will be part of a dedicated fresh food precinct, which includes both indoor and al fresco dining and bar options.

The newly redeveloped Marrickville Metro shopping centre will be 50% bigger, expanded from 22,000 square metres to 33,000 square metres and will include a new major supermarket and up to 44 high-quality retail outlets.

The development is in line with the major growth and demand in the area, as the Inner West undergoes a dramatic transformation that includes over 27,000 redevelopments currently underway in Marrickville alone.

“This vibrant, eclectic space will respond to the growing demand in the area while continuing to celebrate the food and art culture of Sydney’s Inner West. We are really excited to curate such a unique food and beverage hub for the Inner West community whilst paying homage to the industrial heritage of the local area. Our new microbrewery will be at the heart of that local experience,” Stuart says.

The successful brewery may begin operating in onsite in October 2020.

Interested in the opportunity? Email [email protected] or call 0419 603 046 with details of your brewery, existing operations and an expression of interest in the Marrickville Metro.